Monthly Archives: December 2016

I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds this year, or about 22.5 kg. That’s about a pound a week. A slow, steady, disciplined approach of counting calories and exercising regularly worked.

I had help from an app called My Fitness Pal to count calories and track exercise, and there are lots of other apps out there.

I never felt horribly hungry, and I always ate well from all food groups. This was no fad of only certain foods, or oceans of liquids, or anything like that. And it wasn’t about completely eliminating anything from my diet. I still ate meat, potatoes, bread, pasta, and still enjoyed beer and wine.

It was just a healthy, well-rounded diet with a combined calorie target not to be exceeded every day. And about an hour of aerobic exercise a day five times a week. I simply walked — a lot! And I greatly enjoyed those walks, too, exploring various parks and neighbourhoods.

I’m down two pant sizes and am wearing jeans that hadn’t been touched in ten years.

We came across a pair of rodents smooching in the snow. They were enamored with each other to the point that they ignored us, though we were just two meters away. (Credit to my wife Yumi for spotting these cuties : -)

Yes, this really is udder cream, but it’s great for dry, cracking human skin, too. I knew we had a jar around, but had not seen it in a year or two. Cracking, bleeding skin on both thumbs and forefingers (partly due to my recent PT job unboxing and shelving books) led us on a cream search through the bathrooms and first-aid kits… Success!

There’s a story behind this photo that I posted in an album a few days ago — perception, memory, awareness, and ???

If we watch nature shows, we are often astounded at the abilities of all sorts of animals with brains much smaller than ours to remember food locations, routes and way points, etc.

I took this photo in heavy snowfall/sleet conditions. I was doing a Byrne Creek Ravine loop, my camera swathed in a plastic sleeve, me bundled in fleece and Gore-Tex, my head down as I slogged back up the hill.

I remember suddenly having the thought, “that bush with red berries would make a nice shot covered with snow, and it should be right about here.”

I stopped, raised my hooded head into the wind and snowy rain, and yes, the berries were right there, a few meters to my left.

Wow. We have abilities we are often not aware of. My subliminal mind knew exactly where I was.